For 2008 Byerly Boards will have a new wakeboard to go along with the Legacy. The Monarch was once again shaped by Scott "Butch" Bouchard, but almost all of the design input and testing came from team rider Robby Jacques.

This board still looks wide when you first see it, but it is quite a bit narrower than the Legacy. The real difference you'll notice when picking it up is in the weight. The Monarch weighs just 4.5 pounds. Pair that with the ultra-light closed toe Byerly bindings for '08 and you've got one of the lightest setups in the industry.

I just got off the phone with Robby, who just finished riding his new setup, and he's more excited right now than an un-snipped Labrador at the doggy park.

"I'm making a comeback," he told me. "This is the best board I've ever ridden. Seriously."

The Byerly Monarch features a subtle 3-stage rocker with two molded in fins on each end. A removable center fin will be an option on production models. The board will be available in 52" (134 cm), 54" (138 cm) and 56" (142 cm) sizes.

Jacques describes the board as being very fast, especially when compared to the Legacy.

"It pops like an aggressive 3-stage, but lands softer because it's more subtle. Plus, the molded in fins are set back from the tips and tails some, so it releases off the wake better than any board I've ever ridden," Jacques said.